Gotta Grow Up Fast

The Minnesota Vikings depth chart at receiver currently looks like this:

Percy Harvin
Stephen Burton
Jarius Wright
Greg Childs
Chris Summers

It's quite a group. Harvin is the old man at 24. Since they first took the field in 1961, the Vikings have had a real nice run of receivers. Paul Flatley, Gene Washington, John Henderson, John Gilliam, Sammie White, Ahmad Rashad, Anthony Carter, Hassan Jones, Cris Carter, Jake Reed, and Randy Moss. Hell, they could really use Matthew Hatchette right about now. Since Cris Carter retired and Moss was traded the Vikings have been desperately looking for a sustained presence at receiver. Nate Burleson and Sidney Rice showed a lot of promise but they both left in free agency. Bernard Berrian was signed to be a deep threat and he was for a year. He's gone now. In the last decade the Vikings had a serious passing threat for a single year. That was the year when Brett Favre was throwing the ball. Sidney Rice was dominant, Berrian still seemed interested in football, and Percy Harvin provided some explosion as a rookie. Only Harvin remains. Quarterback Christian Ponder needs Harvin and so much more.

There is some potential in the five receivers on the Vikings roster. Harvin is not only staying in Minnesota he's one of the most dangerous weapons in all of football. It drops off fast after Harvin. Burton was a 7th round pick out of West Texas A&M in 2011. He's very raw but he's got some skills. At 6'1" and 221 lbs he's got real nice size. He uses that size well. He's a tough, physical receiver. An effective blocker. If he can pull it all together he's got a game that could be similar to that of Anquan Boldin. At least that's my hope. As a rookie last year, Wright didn't play at all until week 10. He flashed. He's quick, fast too. His first NFL catch went for about 50 yards. He did it again when it mattered most against the Green Bay Packers in a win that clinched the playoffs. He's got a bright future. The future of Childs is in the balance. A college teammate and long time friend of Wright, Childs is a big, downfield threat. He looked terrific in training camp. During a scrimmage he went up for a pass and came down with a torn patella tendon in EACH knee. Freakish, terrible injury. His rehab has been great but it's a long road back. If he can make it and stay healthy, the Vikings receiver talent increases greatly. Like Burton, Summers is another small school, Liberty, receiver with intriguing size, 6'5" 213 lbs. He spent most of the season on the Vikings practice squad. He showed enough in practices for the Vikings to sign him to a futures contract.

The Vikings have to improve the receiver position. Some help could come from within. Wright has had a couple moments of brilliance and Burton had one moment of sheer luck but only Harvin has done, literally, anything in the NFL. The Vikings have to add to this young group now. That improvement starts with free agency. They could pursue the big name receivers like Mike Wallace and Greg Jennings. There are some rumors that they are interested in Wallace. He does fit the profile that general manager Rick Spielman prefers. Young and coming off a rookie contract. I just have my doubts that they will get into a bidding war. The price for Wallace is going to be steep. But, you never know. Spielman could surprise. It's important that Ponder gets some real weapons. More likely, I see the Vikings pursuing a receiver like Ramses Barden and in particular Brandon Gibson. Maybe both. Any player(s) that the team adds in free agency would immediately become the receiving group elder. Unless the Vikings land Wallace or Jennings, I really think that the receiving help that they need will come from the draft. Then the group gets even younger. Right now, my choice would be Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins in the first round. Maybe, Cal's Keenan Allen but I'm liking Hopkins more at the moment. I like Robert Woods, Quinton Patton and Markus Wheaton in the second, or later, if they don't grab a pass catcher in the first. Fortunately, there's some nice receiver depth in this draft.

With the Vikings receiving past it's a little depressing to see their receiving present. It has to change. They have a lot invested in Christian Ponder. They need to confirm that investment by giving him the receivers to succeed. Fortunately, they have Adrian Peterson running the ball. The passing game could be dynamite with that kind of running threat.